Pneumatic racing game apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A}; MN

Oct. 9, 1951 J. c. WILSON PNEUMATIC RACING GAME APPARATUS Filed July 13, 1948 Oct. 9, 1951 J. c. WILSON PNEUMATIC RACING GAME APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 13, 1948 INVENTOR JACK c. WILSON BY I A ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE PNEUMATIGR'ACING GAME APPARATUS J ack C. Wilson, Garden City, N. Y.

Application July 13; 1948, Serial No. 38,475

3, Claims.

group of objects which are advanced by different players within a predetermined period of time in turn todetermine the skills of the several players in so advancing these objects.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved game having a group of objects which are advanced by frictional engagement with slides, and the amount of advance will; be determined by the reaction of the forces of inertia created by the objects relative to the forces of momentum created by the slide as controlled by the players.

ithese and other features, capabilities and advantages of the present invention will appear from the subjoined detailed description of specific embodiments thereof illustrated in the accome. panying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation in part and a longitudinal section in part on the line II of Fig. 2 of a game apparatus made according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 slightly enlarged as compared to the size illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 on the same scale as Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1 on the same scale as Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental enlarged longitudinal section of a part of the control mechanism.

Fig. '7 is an exploded view of a number of the operative parts of the control mechanism.

In the embodiment shown, there is illustrated a board I composed of any suitable material such as wood, a plastic material or metal, which has formed therein a plurality of grooves 01'- slots 2, four being shown in the present instance, which extend from the upright web 3 of the angle plate 4 at the front end of the board I back to the enlarged recesses 5 which in turn extend back to the upright web 6 of the angle plate I- at the rear end; of the board I. The horizontal web 8 of the angle plate 4 extends backwardlyfrom the upright web 3 and is secured to the upper face of the board I by screws 9 or the like. The horizontal web ID of the angle plate I-' in turn extends forwardly from the upright web 6 and is secured to the upper face of the board I by. anysuitable.

fastening means.

Extending transversely of the board I and at a predetermined distance from the rear of the front end of the web I8, there is provided the plate II, Figs. 1-, 6 and '7. which plate II in the present instance has portions extending down into each of the recesses 5 to form supports for the front ends of the tubes I2, one for each recess 5. 'lhe tubes I2 extend back to the nipples I2I which extend back through the upright web 6 and on the outer sides of the Web 6 are connected to the flexible tubes I-S composed of rubber or the.

like, which in turn are each connected. to. a deflatable ball or bellows I4.

iransversely of the board I, there also. is provided the bar It which extends through the front ends of the recesses. 5. at a predetermined distance from the plate II as hereinafter to. be described.

In each of the grooves or slots 2 there are slid: abiy mounted the plates It, each of which, see Fig. l, in length exceeds. the distance between the front face of the plate I I and. the rear edge of the web 8, so that the plates will at all times. be anchored in such grooves 2 against accidental removal. The distance from the front face of the plate I I to the rear face of the. web 3v exceeds the length of each plate It to enable the same to be moved at least a distance equal to the difference between the length from the front face of the plate I I to the rear face of the web. 3 and the length of a plate It. The upper faces of the plates It extend. in a horizontal plane and are plane and form supporting surfaces, thus 0011-. stitutingpiane horizontally extending support.- ingsurfaces.

The means for actuatingthe plates Itwill now be described. To each plate It there will be at-. tached a U-shaped clip I? having two recesses IS- and I9 and fingers 2!} to enter openings 2I formedin its associated plate It and bent over into anchoring position. The recesses I 8 and It are formed to receive the cross pieces 22 and 23 of the latch plate 2 the cross piece 25 of which.

disposed to extend beyond the front end of the clip Il The plate 24 has two side flanges 2 5 and 2? with inclined front edges-28 and 2-9, respectively, to serve as cams when engaging the cross rod I5. In addition to the clip It and latch plate 2 each main plate It is also provided with a rod 39 having a piston 3I slidably mounted in a tube I2. The front end of each tube I2 is closed by a cap 32 through which the rod 38 is slidable. The front end of the rod 36 in turn is provided with an upwardly extending portion 33, a downwardly extending portion 34, and a rearwardly extending portion 35 terminating in the loop 36. Each clip I7 is provided with an opening 37 to receive the front of a spring 38 which is connected at its rear end to the plate above the tube l2, and each loop 38 has connected thereto the front end of a spring 39, the rear end of which is connected to the plate below the tube l2. When assembled, a rod 36 extends between the lower end of a clip I7 and the cross pieces 25, 22 and 23, and the cross piece 25 is disposed beyond the front end of the clip H but spaced from the same as shown in Fig. 6.

On the plane horizontally extending supporting surfaces of the plates l6 there are disposed the objects 46 to be advanced by the plates |6, one object 40 for each plate I6. These objects 46 in the present instance each consist of a weighted base 4| and a figure 42, 'in outline representing a horse and jockey. 'lhe base 4|, as shown in Fig. 2, is just wide enough to clear the sides of its groove 2.

In the position of rest, that shown in Fig. 1, it will appear that the rear end or a plate i6 rests against the cross plate II, but that the rear end of the piston 3i is spaced from the front end of the tubular portion 43 of a nipple |2| having a collar 44 engaging the inner face of the web 6, and the tubular portion 46 extendmg through the web 6 to receive a flexible tube l3.

It will also appear that in this position of rest, the front end of each clip 24 is spaced from the cross bar I5, a distance less than the distance between the front end of a plate I6 and the rear face of the web 3 for the purpose now to be described. If the bellows or ball I4 is deflated to force a jet of air through a tube l3 into engagement with the piston 3|, the latter Will be thrust forward a distance commensurate with the force tinue on until it strikes the cross bar l and will then return at a slower speed and then only if the bellows is allowed to inflate under its own expansive power. By means of this action due to the inertia moment of the object 46 resting on the plate I6, it will not return with the plate l6 when the plate I6 is allowed speedily to return under the urge of the spring 38. Consequently, the skill required to advance the object 40 contemplates exercising either a deflating force on the bellows l4 sufiicient so that the latch plate 24 will strike the cross bar l5 or else after exercising a less powerful deflating force, releasing the bellows l4 immediately. If the bellows I4 is not deflated sufficiently to cause the latch plate 24 to strike the cross bar l5 and the bellows I4 is deflated slowly, and in turn allowed to inflate quickly, an object 46 may actually be caused to go backward instead of forward. The intended object of the game, however, when several players are engaged, is to see which player can advance his object 46 fastest, and at an rate to see which can reach the end of the runway first.

So that no question may arise as to which object 40 reaches the end of the runway first, a plurality of indicator devices 46 is provided, one

device 46 for each plate I6. The indicator devices 46 each consist essentially of a bifurcated bracket 41 secured to the web 8 of the angle plate 4 between which are mounted the tripping plate 48 and the flag supporting plate 49. The tripping plate 48 normally has its rear edge 50 projecting beyond the rear edge of the bracket 41, while its extension 5| rests on the web 8. Each plate 48 has an upwardly extending finger 52 to engage the shoulder 53 on the body portion 54 of the plate 49. The body portion 54 is larger and consequently heavier than the flag forming arm 55, and therefore when the finger 52 clears the shoulder 53 the body portion 54 will drop and raise the flag forming arm 55 into the dash and dot line position shown in Fig. 1. The edge 56 as shown in Fig. 1 will extend into the path of movement of an object 46, and consequently as soon as an object reaches and engages the edge 56 to deflect it inwardly it will deflect the finger 52 to clear the shoulder 53 and allow the flag forming arm 55 to rise.

Any suitable means for starting the game may be provided without departing from the general spirit of the invent.on. As indicative of one form, there is provided the bell dome 56 mounted on the strap 51 connected to the web ID of the angle plate 1. Through the strap 51 and center of the bell dome 56 there is slidably mounted the pin 58 having a finger engaging head 59 at its upper end, two enlargements 60 and 6| above and below the striking bar 62 and its lower end resting in the dimple 63 formed in the spring 84, the ends of which spring 64 are loosely anchored in the strap 51. The lower face of the dimple 63 of the spring 64 is disposed in the present instance directly above the pocket 65 formed in the web I6, which pocket 65 is filled with some heavy viscous material 66, such as tar, which when engaged by the dimple 63 will adhere to the same and delay release of the dimple 63. However, when once released due to the quick action of the spring 64, the striker bar 62 will exercise a resounding blow on the bell dome 56.

Preferably as shown in Fig. 1, the ball or bellows 4 will be provided with a check valve 61 to close when the bellows I4 is deflated, but free to open when the bellows I4 is allowed under its own power again to inflate.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.-

I claim: I

1. The combination of a board, a main plate having a plane horizontally extending supporting surface to support a weighted object thereon and slidably mounted on said board, a clip secured to said main plate, a spring connecting said clip to said board, a rod slidably mounted in said clip, a piston on said rod, a cylinder in which said piston is slidably mounted, an air inlet to said cylinder, means connected to said air inlet for directing an air blast through said cylinder onto said piston to actuate said rod. a latch plate rockably connected to said clip and operable to connect said clip to said rod, and a cross bar in said board in the path of movement of said latch plate to actuate said latch plate and release said clip from said rod to enable said spring quickly to retract said main plate, whereby the weighted object slidably mounted on said main plate moves forwardly with said main plate when said main plate is propelled by saidrod but is free to remain in advanced position by its own inertia when said plate is returned by said spring.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 having a second spring for returning said rod into retracted position when said latch plate has been actuated and said rod slides relative to said clip and latch plate.

3. The combination of a board, a main plate slidably mounted thereon and having a plane horizontally extending supporting surface for supporting an object, a spring for maintaining said plate in retracted position, a rod normally in retracted position, pneumatic means for advancing said rod, a latch plate for anchoring said rod to said main plate to enable said main plate to advance with said rod, means for tripping said latch plate to free said main plate after said main plate has been advanced a predetermined distance to allow said spring to return said main plate, whereby the object supported by said main plate moves forwardly with said main plate when said main plate is advanced but is free to remain in advanced position by its own inertia when said latch plate has been tripped and said main plate is returned into retracted position by said spring, and a second spring for returning said rod into retracted position after said latch plate has been tripped.

JACK C. WILSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,217,145 Brenner Feb. 27, 1917 1,662,162 Nestor Mar. 13. 1928 2,098,410 Williams Nov. 9, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 16,423 Great Britain 1910 380,369 Germany Sept. 6, 1923 616,245 France Oct. 26, 1926 428,001 Great Britain May 3, 1935 

